others rising openly and walking out bodily. And
yet, by Hercules, our fathers tell a story of how Claudius Caesar one day while walking up and down in
the palace, happened to hear some clapping of hands,
and on inquiring the cause and being told that Nonianus was giving a reading, he suddenly joined the
company to every one's surprise. But nowadays even
those who have most time on their hands, after receiving early notices and frequent reminders, either
fail to put in an appearance, or if they do come they
complain that they have wasted a day just because
they have not wasted it. All the more, praise and
credit, therefore, is due to those who do not allow
their love of writing and reciting to be damped either
by the laziness or the fastidiousness of their audiences.
For my own part, I have hardly ever failed to attend.
True, the authors are mostly my friends, for almost
all the literary people are also friends of mine, and
for this reason I have spent more time in Rome than
I had intended. But now I can betake myself to my
country retreat and compose something, though not
for a public recital, lest those whose readings I attended should think I Went not so much to hear their
works as to get a claim on them to come and hear
mine. As in everything else, if you lend a man your
ears, all the grace of the act vanishes if you ask for
his in return. Farewell.

TO SEPTICIUS CLARUS

(I., 15.)

WHAT a fellow you are! You promise to come to
dinner and then fail to turn up! Well, here is my

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